COMMUNITY FORUM

driveway

Is there anyway a do it yourselfer can repave a driveway that currently has gravel on it ? I ask because I recently purchased a home where roughly 10 feet long section of the end driveway is gravel. The rest of the driveway is asphalt. Quotes I have recieved are very high and was wondering is there anything I can do to pave this area...

DP149 - I'm not sure you can get the proper equipment to mix up and lay asphalt at a rental center...we're talking heated tar, a sufficient sized steamroller, etc., aren't we? Are the prices you're being quoted prices for doing the entire driveway, or just the last 10-12 feet or so? (I'm thinking there'd have to be a small overlap of the old and new asphalt...)

Is there any reason you wouldn't want to simply pour concrete for that last 10 feet or so? You can get the mixer for that job easily enough, plus you're not heating anything toxic like tar. (Maybe there's concrete already under the asphalt, so pouring a small section wouldn't create headaches...)

As a disclaimer and self-defense, I've never done asphalt work and I've only helped on some concrete DIY jobs...others may be better-informed and hopefully will enlighten us on this matter. Good luck! Jim D/Heathsville, VA

Asphalt paving really isn't a DIY type project unless you're in the business. The suggestion above of using a different material for this unpaved area, one that is more of a DIY type like concrete or stone or brick or.... is one option. Another is to ask around and see if anyone else in the neighborhood is having a driveway built or rebuilt. Part of the reason the estimates you're getting are high may be due to the contractors necessary mobilization to get everything out to your place to do such a small job. If someone else is having a driveway installed, the contractor may have extra material and, as he's already in the neighborhood, may be able to stop by and do the job for less.

[This message has been edited by treebeard (edited October 30, 2003).]

BV004640

03:21PM | 08/20/14

I don't know how do-able it is. I tried paving an area of our driveway once and it didn't work out well for me. I ended up just having to hire a company to do it for me. You might save yourself time and money by hiring out someone first. You can call around to get quotes and see which works best for your budget.
http://www.ruddockpaving.ca/en/